Posted by Ensign Viyara Nazeen (Scientist) in Holodeck 2- Therapy in Unusual Places Day 1, Part 2

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Janna Kingston (CNS) in Holodeck 2- Therapy in Unusual Places Day 1, Part 2

(snip)

Kingson nodded. “Grounding doesn’t mean the triggers aren’t there, but because you are more in your body it’s less likely that you’ll dissociate.”

“That makes sense,” Viyara said softly and nodded. She even smiled slightly at Janna. It was just a small one, but clearly genuine.

Still holding her hand, Janna took in Viyara and then looked out over the vista. “I know it’s easy to feel alone in all of this, that what we’re experiencing is untouchable to others, but regardless of the reason, because they are different, I do understand, Viyara,” she said, shifting her gaze back to the scientist. “Did you know I double majored in Exobiology as well as psychology back at the Academy? I was fully planning on being a field biologist after graduation.”

~Janna Kingston, CNS

“Really?” Viyara asked, one eyebrow raised in curiosity. “What made you change your mind?” Her eyes fixed on Janna, she studied the other woman closely. Intrigued by the interesting combination of majors. But even more so by Janna herself. As glad as she had been to be able to leave her office surprisingly quickly after her boarding evaluation and as much as she had hoped to spend very little time in her presence to avoid questions she was then unwilling to answer, she now found that she really liked her as a person and she was grateful for what she was doing for her. As hard and painful as it might be.

~Viyara Nazeen

“I didn’t,” Janna said simply. “Life forced me down a different path, and one I’m grateful for every day not.” Her eyes looked at the edges of their rocky spot and she shook her head. “Irony of all ironies that you keep bringing me to places like this. I’m not afraid of heights but, the landing, well… I have a haemophilia, Viyara. It’s not life threatening most of the time. A small bruise or a scrap won’t kill me, but something more serious?” She snapped her fingers. “Medical intervention has to be that fast, or I won’t make it.” Extricating her hand from Nazeen’s, she rubbed her palms together for a moment before continuing. “My health condition isn’t a secret, but I don’t talk about the how very much and I never talk about that period of time immediately after. But I’m going to tell you because I think it would be helpful. And though it’s a little long, I think the scientist in you will appreciate the details.”

“I was on my cadet cruise on the Hypatia and we were on this planet. The locals told us about this sentient-ish vine and us biologists were intrigued. We were warned that it could be dangerous, so we took precautions. As we were walking along this path near where the locals had had encounters, I heard this noise and I was startled. I stopped to try and get a better listen and without realizing it, I took a half step forward. But what I couldn’t see because of all the brush was that the ground had warn away there. I slipped a bit and boom, down I went, tumbling down this partial embankment. I came to a stop near this cave and had we known this ahead of time we would have chose a different route and gone there right away, but apparently this vine grows near burrows and caves where it’s likely to find prey. My shipmates scrambled down to get to me, but by the time they did, the vine had already attached itself to my torso, and the spines injected me with a substance that paralyzed me. they had me beamed to the ship but it was too late, one of the spines had pierced my liver and it was attacking my immune system. It then caused a severe fever that caused brain bleeds and in trying to heal my injuries as well as the bleeds that were popping up, they began to notice that not only was I bleeding too much but my own immune system began to attack itself.” She paused there knowing that this was only the lead-up and not even the point of her story.

~Janna Kingston, CNS